Helicopter business combats noise concerns

Air slowly begins to swoosh and swirl beneath the rotor blades of the Robinson R22 Beta II as it steadily rises from the concrete tarmac at Portsmouth International Airport and into the sky above.

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By Charles McMahon

seacoastonline.com

By Charles McMahon

Posted Sep. 8, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Charles McMahon
Posted Sep. 8, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

Air slowly begins to swoosh and swirl beneath the rotor blades of the Robinson R22 Beta II as it steadily rises from the concrete tarmac at Portsmouth International Airport and into the sky above.

The shiny red helicopter taxis for a moment and, when finally cleared for takeoff, quickly ascends into a blue sky. In a matter of seconds, the chopper is floating roughly 1,000 feet above the Seacoast for all eyes to see, and hear. The latter is a concern area residents have expressed in opposing the operation of Seacoast Helicopters, LLC at Pease International Tradeport.

Piloting the bright red helicopter is 27-year-old Kevin Beaulieu, an Iraq war veteran who logged more than 1,000 hours of crew time aboard a CH-53E Super Stallion while in the U.S. Marine Corps.

As the senior pilot and flight instructor for Seacoast Helicopters, Beaulieu works the controls of the helicopter with what appears to be little effort. He is calm and collected, similar to what the two-person aircraft he's piloting must look like as it hovers high in the sky.

Nothing is audible from inside the aircraft, save for the voice of air traffic control coming through the headsets. From the ground, the helicopter looks like nothing more than a red blip.

Its sound, resembles that of an average lawn mower.

Business owner Bruce Cultrera said he takes the issue of noise very seriously, especially since he is now conducting his new business out of Pease.

Cultrera recently felt the wrath of several concerned residents who attended a special Airport Noise Compatibility Committee meeting to speak against his helicopter school/touring business. Dozens of residents spoke at the meeting, many angry with the effects they said the business would have on their quality of life.

Cultrera, however, said he has every intention of being a good neighbor.

"That's not good business," he said this week during a tour of his new headquarters on Durham Street. "There's absolutely nothing in it for us to be a bad neighbor."

The aircraft Cultrera owns include the Robinson R22 Beta II, a two-seat helicopter used for training, and a Robinson R44 Raven II, an air-conditioned, four-seat helicopter used for advanced training, charter and for tourist flights. As the smaller of the two helicopters, the R22 is so quiet it doesn't even register on the noise chart for helicopters established by the Federal Aviation Administration, Cultrera said.

The R44 is louder, Cultrera said, but adds that it barely surpasses the lowest noise level in the FAA noise ranking. "They're both very quiet," he said.

While Cultrera is confident his helicopters are not as loud as some of the other aircraft that take off from Pease, he said he understands residents' concern. He said he believes a lot of times people fear things they do not understand. "The last thing we want to do is make people angry," he said.

With Pannaway Manor nearby, Cultrera said he and his instructor are mindful of the potential disturbance his business might cause if a helicopter were to fly over the residential neighborhood. "We avoid it like the plague," he said.

Nearby abutter Bill St. Laurent said the noise can sometimes be annoying, but added it isn't anywhere near what it used to be. Having lived at his Colonial Drive home for the last 47 years, St. Laurent said he thinks it could be a lot worse

"There's noise every now and then, but nowhere near what it used to be," he said, referring to the days when military planes and jets flew from Pease Air Force Base.

As a member of the Airport Noise Compatibility Committee, St. Laurent said he's learned to accept the fact that FAA rules allow an aircraft, such as a helicopter, the right to fly overhead. St. Laurent, who is one of a handful of people who are actually active with the committee, said he believes it's in the best interest to work with Cultrera to minimize any impacts.

"They're here and we should work with them," he said.

One way of dealing with the noise impacts is through the Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program, according to Airport Manager Bill Hopper. The last time the study was conducted was in 1995. While a new study is a few years down the road, Hopper said officials are already beginning to work on a "noise exposure map" that shows the extent to which noise impacts the surrounding communities.

"It's based on very scientific data," Hopper said.

Once the map is complete, Hopper said it is included in the noise compatibility program. It is at that point that Hopper said residents can get involved. "We'll hopefully come up with something using the input from users in the community," he said.

Hopper said residents concerned about noise now can always call the airport's noise line as well. Concerned residents can also attend noise compatibility committee meetings.

"We always take any reasonable action we can to minimize noise in the local community," Hopper said.

The helicopter business would offer flight schools, aerial photography flights, scenic adventure tours, aircraft rentals, utility services and air taxi service. The company will offer services from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Cultrera and Beaulieu said the helicopter flies at night because it is required for any student who is training to be certified. And any notion that a helicopter will crash into a house is simply unfounded, both said.

Ultimately, Cultrera said he is excited about being part of the local community. He said he believes his business has gotten a bad rap as a result of other helicopter flight services that come into the area from out of town.

"The good thing about us being here is that we understand what sensitivities there are in the area and they don't," he said. "The difference between us and them is that we live here, too."

When flying one of the helicopters, Beaulieu said the last thing he wants to do is disturb anyone on the ground below. "I fly neighborly," he said. "It benefits us to not bother the community."